Saturday, July 7, 2012
Associated Press
AKRON
An Ohio restaurant owner who hosted President Barack Obama for breakfast became ill and died hours later.
The Summit County medical examiner’s office in Akron says 70-year-old Josephine “Ann” Harris of Copley Township died Friday of natural causes. No autopsy was planned.
Forensic investigator Jason Grom says Harris became ill at home after the Obama visit. He says she went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance while en route to Akron General Medical Center, where she died at 11:18 a.m.
Several hours earlier she had hugged Obama when he showed up at her Ann’s Place restaurant for breakfast.
The Akron Beacon Journal interviewed Harris after the president’s visit and described her as ecstatic
Her family members and customers, saddened by her death, were pleased she was able to meet the president.
“I’m sure this was her highlight,” said Frankie Adkins, Harris’ sister, who lives in Tulsa, Okla., and had heard about her sister’s sudden death from family members. “She loved Obama.”
The president’s campaign offered condolences to the Harris family.
The president had stopped at the restaurant before coming to the Mahoning Valley on Friday. He later traveled to Pittsburgh for a campaign event.